A Christmas Carol
by cheeses
Summary: Christmas eve, it's been a long year since Stevie Nichols died. Alex is visited by three ghosts who guide her to Stevie's ressurection  R&R
1. Chapter 1

Okay, I know I'm writing another fic as well, but this just popped into my head and I thought it was too good to miss. I thought it'd be suiting to the pairing Stalex.

Oh yeah the time line of the episodes which Stevie was in has been abandoned here.

Christmas eve never looked so sickening. Tacky streamers, glitter, fake snow and twinkly lights infested the Russo residence. Lights hung from the ceiling, along with red and green streamers. The fake snow rested on any surface and the glitter was spewing from an enchanted cannons, created to explode whenever someone walked past.

Alex walked through to the kitchen area with a solemn frown, her mouth pulled in a scowl. Justin and Teresa had gone overboard again. The tree was Max's responsibility, this year. It took residence on the ceiling and was jinxed to drop a present whenever someone's name was called.

Harper bounced in, dressed as a huge Christmas tree, lights and all. The frame of the tree poked out at random angles, hanging off them, real candy.

"Happy Christmas Alex" Harper cheered, skipping to her best friend and hugged her.

"Ouch, Harper, branches" Alex winced rubbing her right side where a branch and a piece of candy had jabbed her.

"What's got you all gwumpy dis year" she cooed pinching Alex's cheek, making baby faces at the teen.

"You" Alex spoke woodenly, grabbing a soda from the fridge and escaping Harper's assault.

"Well that's not nice" Harper said in a matter-o-factly tone.

"Sure it is, now shhh" Alex vaulted over the top of the sofa and landed spread eagled on the soft cushions. She turned on the TV and settled for the music channel, considering every other channel was either Christmas movies or documentaries about the origin of Christmas.

"Do you want a piece of candy? Your blood sugar could be low"

"No" Alex grunted and cuddled into the sofa.

Jerry walked through the front door and the cannon exploded, making the grown man scream like a girl. He spat out a wad of glitter and brushed it from his snow sodden clothes.

"How are you girls doin'?" he took in Harper's costume and grinned.

"Alex is being moody" Harper flicked her best friends ear, making the young wizard grumble something about stuffing her.

"Really?" Teresa butted in, walking through with a pile of presents all wrapped.

"Yeah" Harper answered for Alex who sat up irritated.

Justin skidded down the stairs in an elf costume, Max on his heel dressed as a reindeer.

"We're ready" Justin did a jig and Max attempted to follow his foot work, his cardboard hoofs hindering his movement.

"Great" Teresa clapped her hands once the presents had floated to the tree due to the anti gravity spell Justin had fixed the surrounding area of the tree with.

"What?" Alex turned to the scene and Teresa threw her an elf costume.

"We have to send cards to people, you guys are going to be on it" she pulled out her camera.

"No" Alex crossed her arms stubbornly. "You are _not_ making me do... that" Alex wafted at Justin and Max.

"I'm guessing Harper is on it too"

"Oh no, I just like being festive" Harper assured and skipped to hand Jerry a chocolate.

"Yipee" Alex threw the costume on the floor, her voice dripping with pained sarcasm and avoided walking past the door, just in case she became a human disco ball.

"Alex Russo you come here this instant" Teresa demanded, her Spanish accent lacing her words.

"How 'bout no" Alex spoke roughly. "I don't want anything to do with your damn cards or Christmas" she growled and made short work of ripping down a few streamers and running to her room. The room fell silent. Harper shifted awkwardly, knowing she'd be sent up to deal with Alex.

Alex crashed into her room and sighed, slamming the door and sliding down it until she came to the floor. She hugged her knees to her chest and sniffed, tears stung as they created a film of water on vision. She looked up in hope gravity would sort them out, sure enough the tears went away, but the sadness pooling in Alex's heart stayed. She was hurting and nobody had a clue.

Stevie had shared last Christmas with her, Christmas eve had been the best night of her life and so had Christmas day. A small smile pulled on her lips remembering her reaction when Stevie had turned up at midnight in a Santa suit. Alex chuckled weakly, Stevie had attempted to look fat by stuffing a pillow up her shirt. Alex didn't realise she'd began crying until droplets of salty water rolled down her cheeks. Stevie had died a few months later and it was slowly killing Alex in the knowledge that she'd lost the one person that actually gave a damn about the real her. Christmas was purgatory.

A small knock brought Alex out of her brooding.

"Alex, you okay?" Harper had her ear pressed to the door.

"Fine..." Alex wiped away her tears roughly with the back of her hand and sniffled. "Just fucking dandy"

"Alex you know you shouldn't..." Harper found it hard to keep her voice from being stern.

"I don't give a shit any more Harper, I miss..."

"It's Stevie isn't it" Harper sank to her knees to get a level sound from the other side of the door.

"Is it that obvious?" Alex spat, resting her head on her knees.

"Hey... why don't you join me tomorrow morning, it's a sweater competition... I've knitted a particularly hideous one, just for you"

"I don't know what to say to that"

"Say you'll come"

"No, I just want to be left alone" Alex shuffle away from the door.

"You can't stay in there, you'll have to come out some time"

"Leave me alone Harper" Alex buried her head between her knees, trying to muffle out her friends voice.

"Goodnight Alex" Harper snapped, got up and left, hurt at Alex's resistance.


	2. Chapter 2

Alex awoke groggily, asleep on her cold wooden floor. The darkness was broken by the flashing lights outside, blue icy street decorations shone of the glossy wood. Alex shuddered the room was freezing. Snow fell in large flakes outside, looking like ghosts falling from the clouds.

Alex sat up and yawned, the red numbers on her alarm flickered, it was eleven o'clock. Alex felt the seams that tied the fabric of her emotions tug open, unravel and cascade around her body in waterfall.

Alex was soon short of breath and her chest heaved, she felt fresh tears fall from her eyes in shards.

Her hair fell over her face as she crawled across her room to pull her heavy body to it's feet.

"Alex"

Alex paused, gasping as the air was stole from her chest.

"Stevie?" she rasped.

Stevie was sat cross legged on her bed, smiling softly down at the young wizard.

"You..."

"Me..." Stevie mocked and laughed, the sound calmed Alex.

Alex pulled herself up onto the bed to sit close to Stevie, tears still fell freely.  
>Stevie looked over Alex and licked her bottom lip.<p>

"You look, ill" Stevie spoke softly.

"Nice to see you too" Alex dead panned and the pair laughed lightly through the silence of the night.

"Your alive?" Alex whispered, nibbling on the skin of her bottom lip.

"Kinda" Stevie shrugged and looked away.  
>"Kinda?" Alex choked. "Your a ghost?"<p>

"You could say that Al"

Alex felt her head spin, her mind began to detach from her body her heart hammered her rib cage like a steamboat.

"But you look... healthy, solid..." Alex reached out and cupped the side of Stevie's face, her skin felt like ice. The chill attacked Alex's nerves, shocking her, she pulled her hand away.

"I'm still gone, but that's what I'm here for Al"

"What?"

"I want to come back... be with you, be with the living again, powers or no powers, I want to stay with you"

Alex held Stevie's hand, facing the cold.

"What do I need to do?"

"Stop being fuckin' moody about Christmas that's for starters... I want to be remembered in a happy cheer, I know your sad Al, how do you think I feel, I'm in limbo... I just need you to fix a few things then come and find me"

Alex nodded, rubbing her thumb across the pale skin of Stevie's hand.  
>"You feel so...real" Alex looked at their connected hands.<br>"Thanks to your little powers, you made me come back like this"

"How?"

"A young wizards powers become a little crazy at Christmas, something to do with druids, anyway, if someone wanted something so bad, they'd get it, the folk law goes, looks like it works because I get to see you... only for another hour though"

"Why?" Alex held Steve's hand tighter.

"Remember when I came to see you this time last year, I came at midnight"

"Yeah" Alex smiled weakly.

"Well, I have to leave then, don't ask me why"

"I wouldn't" Alex smiled looking away from Stevie.

Alex's hand had become accustomed to the cold, now she was sure her body heat was warming Stevie's frosty skin.

"Do you remember, when you dressed up in that stupid Santa outfit" Alex giggled through her words.

"And the pillow kept falling out when ever I moved"

"Yeah... then we kissed"

Alex felt her heart flutter, like tiny wings propelled electricity though her.

Stevie brushed a hair from Alex's eyes.

"I've missed you" Stevie cupped Alex's face with both of her hands, the chill shocked Alex but it was welcome.

"I missed you too" Alex pressed their foreheads together. "More than you could ever know"

Stevie smiled and pressed her lips softly against Alex's. Alex's eyes fluttered shut and she moved her hands to rest on Stevie's tights. Alex moved her lips against Stevie's, Alex's chest began to heave.

She pulled away and leant back so Stevie could lay upon her. Stevie did so, moving her hands to brush the sensitive skin between Alex's belly button and button of her jeans.

Stevie drew patterns with her index finger, making Alex mew with content.

"I've missed doing this" Stevie kissed Alex's neck and nipped at the skin.

Alex closed her eyes and fell hostage to the fire that was now burning across her skin.

Stevie began to run her hand up Alex's shirt, brushing the heated skin and cooling it, making Alex hiss in reaction.

"The temperature difference is... hard to adjust to" Alex panted, feeling her breathe hitch.

"Well I am dead" Stevie chuckled and rejoined their lips.

Alex awoke, her bare arms wrapped snugly around Stevie's middle, cuddling her from behind.

"Alex, get dressed, I'm due to go in a few minuets" Stevie's voice wasn't raw like it used to be.

"You don't sleep do you" Alex rubbed her eyes and nuzzled Stevie's neck.

"No, you still mumble in your sleep though" Stevie rolled over to face Alex. "And you still look good naked"

"Shut up" Alex sat up, pulling the bed sheets over her bare body. Stevie was already dressed to Alex's disappointment.

"I used to enjoy watching you dress" her voice saddened. "I don't want you to go, not yet"

"Sorry sweetie" Stevie kissed Alex's forehead and watched as Alex dressed hurriedly.

"What time is it?" Alex sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from Stevie.

"Three minuets to go" Stevie sat by Alex.

"I love you, you know that" Alex looked at the floor and bit her lip roughly.

"I know, Alex I still think about you, I've never forgot"

Alex kissed Stevie passionately, running her hands through Stevie's hair.

"Your hairs grown" Alex paused to marvel.

"That's because I'm still connected, through you, I'm not allowed to move on, just promise me, you'll come and find me Al" Stevie kissed her again and felt Alex's tears print onto her face.

"Your getting less, you" Alex noted felling Stevie's body slip away.

"Come and find me" Stevie disappeared into the air and left Alex sat in the gloom of her room. She lay back on her bed and sighed outwardly.

"I promise" Alex whispered, hoping somewhere Stevie heard her.


	3. Chapter 3

Alex was torn from her thoughts by a loud grunt and rustle in the far corner of her room.

"Stevie?" Alex jumped from the bed and light the tip of her wand. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from screaming.

"Ah, Alex" Professor Crumbs climbed from her closet and brushed off his cloak.

"Not to be disrespectful but what the hell are you doing in my room?"

"I'm the Ghost of Christmas Past young lady"

"What?" Alex screwed up her face in confusion and pointed franticly at the old man.

"I'm here to show you the past, you made your mother sad earlier this evening..."

"You don't think I know that" Alex huffed.

"Hold my hand" the Professor held out a withered hand and Alex reluctantly held on to it.

"Where are we going?" Alex looked at unsure of where he would possibly take her, he was a darn old professor, trying to make out he was some character out of a book.

"If you take me to a god damn unicorn convention I swear..."

Alex's room imploded in an instant and Alex landed roughly on to the floor of her room. This time the lights were on and it was warmer.

"Professor I don't..." Alex gawked as she saw herself sat in bed. "That's me"

"Yes, watch and learn" the old man tapped her hand.

She watched events unfold.

Stevie clambered through Alex's window, lugging in a heavy looking sack.

Alex dropped the magazine she'd been reading and laughed.  
>"Nichols what heck?"<p>

"Merry Christmas Russo" Stevie dropped the sack and lifted her arms above her head. A fluffy pillow fell from under her Santa costume and the beard she was wearing was wonky.

"Your an absolute charmer" Alex winked and crawled across her bed to sit at the edge of it.  
>"A dance?" Stevie stuffed the pillow back up her shirt and bowed to Alex.<p>

"Why yes" Alex took Stevie's outstretched hand and Stevie kissed the back of Alex's.

Alex turned to the professor angrily.

"Why are you showing me this?"she stormed, not caring if the past Alex or Stevie heard her.

"To show you"

"To fucking hurt me, I don't care what your doing to pull this off, I want to go back home!"

Alex was silenced by the sound of Stevie saying she loved her.

Stevie kissed Alex heatedly and Alex tugged the pillow from under the girls costume.

"I love you" Stevie spoke between pecks.

"I love you too" Alex pushed Stevie onto her bed and began to kiss her again.

Alex gawked at the scene.

"You _really_ are a pervert" she snapped turning away.

The professor clicked his fingers and they were flashed into the Russo sitting room, only it hadn't the vast decorations in it from earlier it looked normal. A small tree was perched in the side of the room and a young Justin ran through the room, holding a packaged Captain Jim Bob Sherwood doll.

Alex stepped back to let him run past.

"This was seven years ago" Alex glared at the Professor. "What's your point?"

He didn't answer but looked upon the scene.

Teresa came in looking like she'd just watched a horror film, Jerry on her heel.

"Papa wants to see the kids" she wiped a tear from her eye and Jerry hugged her close.

"He's back in Spain how are we going to get there in time? Teresa he doesn't have much time..."

"A card?"

"Good point"

Teresa looked over Justin and a young Alex, playing with a raggedy toy dog.

Alex frowned.

"This is about the Christmas card isn't it?"

"Watch child"

The scene flashed to a grave yard, a few years later.

Teresa walked up the path to place a recent picture on her Papa's grave.

"She's never told us she puts the photos on Grandpa's grave" Alex felt guilt punch her gut.

"Every year, every holiday, she places a note and a picture on his grave"

Alex silenced and bit down on her lip hard.

"Take me home please?" she spoke softly and sniffled, feeling tears well up in her eyes again.

"Do you think you understand?"

"Understand?"

"It's not only you who is missing a loved one this year, your mother has missed her father dearly for years and she doesn't lash out or hate the world she respects that he has passed"

"Just take me home" Alex's voice became horse.


	4. Chapter 4

Alex landed back in her room alone. It was still the middle of the night and snow was still falling rapidly down to the street bellow, all the time travelling had obviously gone to her head.

Alex made her way back onto her bed and lay across it, staring at the ceiling. She didn't know where to start in getting Stevie back, all spells to do with resurrection were locked away in the wizard council chambers, she only knew that from Justin rambling on about the Wizard laws.

A loud thud and splutter insured that someone else had landed in her room. A golden fire light brought the room in to a warm glow. Alex sat bolt up and looked over to see Jerry clad in a mistletoe cloak and what looked like elf shoes.

"What are you doing in my room?" Alex yelled, Jerry looked bewildered, but cheery.

"I'm the ghost of Christmas Present" his voice was lower as he boomed a brilliant wave of laughter.

"And I'm actually buying that your sober, get out Dad" Alex bolted from her bed to drag Jerry out when her hand passed straight through him. She stumbled back and he moved forward.

"Told you" he spoke arrogantly and held out his hand.

"What do _you_ want with me?" Alex stood shading her eyes from the glow radiating from Jerry.

"To show you..." Jerry trailed off to laugh again.

"Let me guess, I have to take it?" Alex's voice dead panned his cheer.

Jerry nodded simply and Alex felt his once ghostly form solidify.

She slid her hand into his and the room shrank this time, leaving the pair behind and another room swelled around them.

Harper lay in bed, wide wake and staring into a snow globe, Zeke lay next to her.

"Wait Zeke is in my house?" Alex let go of the appropriation's hand and crossed her arms.

Harper nudged him awake and he stirred, grunting in response.

"Alex really needs a cheer up"

Zeke rested his back on the headboard and yawned.

"Why?"

"She's missing Stevie and she wont let anyone else help her"

Alex shifted, unconformable with the topic.

"Do you really have to show me this?"

Jerry nodded once more.

"Who's Stevie?" Zeke grumbled, shrinking back under the sheets.

"Alex's … interest"

Alex's eyes widened and fear attacked her.

"Harper knows?"

Jerry rolled his eyes.

"Harper knows more than she lets on, if you paid attention more I think you figure that one out"

Alex stood silent and watched.

"She's gay?" Zeke's voice rose, Harper swatted him.

"No, I think it was just Stevie" her voice saddened. "Stevie really suited her, even if she was a bad influence and I'm sure she..."

Zeke had fallen back asleep before Harper could continue.

"Really Zeke, thanks a bunch" she nudged him but he took no notice.

Alex looked back at Jerry, saddened also.

"I told you, pay more attention" his voice lowered again and the glow cut out. Alex was left in a dark abyss.


	5. Chapter 5

Alex wandered through the dark, her eyes forming white dots over them from the sudden black out. Her emotions were running high again, she found her heart thudding roughly once more and her breath short. Panic was setting in, the darks cruel trick to blind Alex was making her stumble and trip as she wandered. Foot steps sounded behind her, in reaction Alex jack rabbited around to face her attacker. She ripped her wand from her back pocket and cast an aimless spell into the dark, a green light sliced through the black, her eyes ached at the sudden burst but gave her an anchor of relief that there was a room around her. Heart pounding and imagination getting the best of her senses, she tore spells through the air to catch a brief glance of a door. Her feet felt heavy, like two slabs of led attached to the bottom of her ankles as she ran away from the haunting, most of the spells she'd cast were now bouncing from the walls and creating mini explosions around her. The sparks led her to the door, her clammy right hand slammed down on the handle and she twisted it to open it franticly. The foot steps were closer, ever approaching behind her. Alex kicked at the door, in hope to loosen it from the hinges.

"God damn" she hissed and two cold hands handed on her shoulders. Alex winced and knew she had to defend herself. The young wizard span around with a force unknown to her and shot her attacker away with a frantic rush of spells, the foot steps didn't hinder to her horror.

"Leave me alone!" Alex cried out, angrily.

"Alex?" a questioning voice bled through the darkness, Alex calmed.

She hadn't notice until her heart rate steadied she was out of breath. Alex doubled over, winded by her former panic. The air then chilled and a small floating blue flame bobbed ahead. Alex stumbled towards it. Transfixed with the fire tendrils licking the darkness with a tenderness that fire didn't usually posses. Alex poked it with the tip of her wand, wincing as it shuddered.

The foot steps had stopped, that was one thing.

"I want you to see" Alex jumped at the sudden voice beside her. She span around to see Juliet stood arms crossed and staring at the blue flame also.

"Pretty isn't it" her voice held a softness.

"I'm yet to decide" Alex's words were sharp, but none the less distracted.

"If you look into it, you can see into the future" Juliet smiled, it wasn't a warm expression it held pain and longing.

"Have you looked in to it?" Alex watched Juliet intently.

"I created it... I know the future and I know you need to change a few things" she didn't look at Alex once while the blue flame danced.

"I've gathered" Alex dead panned. "What do I need to do?"

"Look into it" Juliet turned away, leaving Alex to her own devices, to fend for herself as she looked at the flame.

It beckoned her attention and captured it easily.

Alex peered through the flame and witness events unfold in front of her, playing in the smoke now emanating from the flame.

_Alex emerged from her room, grumpy and spiteful. Teresa greeted her at breakfast, but Alex ignored the peace offering of pancakes and presents. She lounged around, snapping at everyone until she was satisfied enough to go back into her room and brood. The following weeks were lonely, until the point when Harper refused to help her, Teresa gave up trying to get her to cheer up and her family left her be. _

_Alex didn't sleep for the following month, due to mourning. She didn't eat or speak to anyone unless spoken to. The loss had not only screwed her up, but screwed her family up. Teresa blamed herself, causing friction between her and Jerry, eventually causing them to divorce a year later. Justin moved away to college and Max went off the rails due to the lack of attention he received from Teresa. Harper didn't speak to her, she was friendless and fragile. She indulged in drink to ease her pain and constantly found herself sat sketching distressed pictures of demons and flames. _

Alex stumbled back, a sickness welled up inside her.

"You mean I'm going to turn into... into that?"

"You have three choices Alex Russo" Juliet pinched the flames. "One, continue your selfish brooding and live a life in mourning. Two, learn to live with the pain of loss. Three, resurrect."

Alex gulped thickly.

"Resurrect, how would I do it?" she questioned.

"To save a life you must take one"

"You mean to bring back Stevie, I have to kill myself?"

"To save a life, you must take one"

"Yeah I know that, you just said but..."

"I believe you've chosen"

"I don't know..." Alex rushed.

"If you choose this path, there is no going back"

"I figured that one out when Stevie came back" Alex sucked in a breath, she had to do it. "I'll do it" her eyes burned with a passion and determination that she would get Stevie back, she wasn't going to play host to pain and mourning any more. Juliet nodded once and took hold of the fire.

"Take it" Juliet held it out, Alex outstretched her palms and took the glowing tendrils.

The blue fire licked her skin, tingling the nerves and slowly began to melt. Alex watched, her breathing became rouged and set her jaw. She had no idea what was going to happen, but if it made Stevie return, Alex was willing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay I admit, it's _way _past Christmas and I feel like a arse that I didn't post this after the day I wrote it. R&R pweeze?**

* * *

><p>Alex sighed, her eyes adjusted to the light. It left a haze over her vision and distorted her shadow.<p>

She dragged her body up from the cold, marble floor it had been accustomed to.

"Hello?" Alex's voice echoed in the white abyss. She felt her stomach lurch, she was dead. Heaven? Or the trick that hell loved to play?

Alex got to her feet and gulped. Her skin glistened with a ivory tinge, attracting her eyes to stare and watch the light refract.

"You like it huh?" a voice cooed from behind her.

Alex span around on her heel.

Stevie faced her, smiling a back drop of white smoke lighting her shinning skin.

"I do too" Stevie looked down at her own hand to admire deaths work on her spirit body.

"Stevie" Alex felt her throat run dry, the words poured over the seal of her lips. "Your here"

"Well it's not exactly hard to find me, I'll come when you call"

"I didn't..."  
>"I could feel you" Stevie's features softened.<p>

"Where are we?" Alex looked around as if her actions would back up her pondering.

"Limbo"

"I don't see any poles?" Alex smirked and Stevie huffed, chuckling.

"I've missed that" Stevie neared the Russo, closing the space between the gleam of their bodies.

Stevie's hands wrapped around Alex's waist and left Alex's body to mould into hers.

"You wont be missing it for long" Alex hummed, hugging her back. Tears threatened to spill over, she retained them.

"Resurrection?"

"Yeah" Alex pulled away to meet Stevie's fierce stare.

"Do you realise what you have to do?"

"No, I wasn't informed, I was... technically murdered to get here" Alex felt old irritation set in, even in death things couldn't be easy for her.

"Alex, you have to vow to be my protector in the mortal world if you want to resurrect me and do it right" Stevie's brow was furrowed.

"Fine" Alex glared as if Stevie was already the opposition.

"That means, you'll have a soul connection to me, we bond through spirit in this realm, bond by blood on earth"

"Like I didn't have a soul connection with you anyway" Alex reached out for Stevie's hand and slid her fingers to intertwine with hers.

"I love you Stevie"

Stevie kissed the back of Alex's hand in response, not letting their eye contact to wander.

"How do we bond by soul?" Alex's tone regained a serious note.

"You've already died for me to get here, that's half of it done, the second half you have to give me the other half of your soul to me... so I can come back with you"

"So I'll have no soul?" Alex winced.

"Selflessness Al, that's all it is, giving something up for someone else" Stevie looked down to the floor. Alex knew it'd hurt Stevie to give up like that.

"You sure know how to destroy me Nichols"

Stevie looked back up and smiled crookedly.

"What will happen to me, when I do die?"

"Souls are ever lasting... I'll be your life source, that's what it means by bonding, when I die, you die, you have to protect me from harm, if I'm harmed, not matter how far away we can be, you'll feel my pain..."

Alex nodded solemnly.

"We can't be emotionally attached to other people, becouse that will harm us as well?"

"Yeah" Stevie responded eyeing the teen. "You have your eye on someone else Russo?"

"Never" Alex pressed her lips to Stevie's softly. "Now can we just get out of... this?"

"Here" Stevie pulled out a golden tipped quill and handed it to Alex. "You have to vow to me you'll protect me with your soul... I have to do the same"

Alex tensed but took the quill, it was heavy in her hand and cool against her skin. Stevie's eyes watched her every movement.

"Write it into the opposite arm... then mine"

Alex breathed out and touched the tip of the quill to her skin.

_The arms of the ocean are carrying me_

_The arms of the ocean deliver me._

_All this devotion is rushing out of me,  
>The crashes are heaven, for a sinner like me. <em>

_Deliver me  
><em>

No ink spilled from the quill, instead the words were carved into Alex's skin, a burning sensation bit at the open flesh. Each letter faded into scars of the words. Alex had never seen something so beautiful, typography was sharp and leaning, not like her scribbles in text books.

Stevie leant down once Alex had finished and kissed the heated skin.

"Do it" Stevie kissed Alex's jaw line and Alex wrote the same message onto Stevie's right forearm, knowing she was left handed.

Once completed, Alex felt something drag from her, each cell tore from her body. Alex fell to the ground, Stevie fell with her kneeling at her side.

"Al, it'll pass, it'll be over soon"

Alex writhed as pain tore through her, her skin burnt outwards, her chest heaved and her back arched.

"Make it stop" Alex wretched, her voice breaking into pants. Stevie pulled Alex into her lap, rocking them as Alex screamed.

Then the world fell silent.


	7. Chapter 7

Through the curtains, a slither of light spilled into Alex's room. Alex lay sprawled across her bed, the bare skin of her arms and legs susceptible to the loss of heat that jolted her awake from her slumber.

"Stevie?" Alex's voice came out as a timid cry. She scanned her room, there was no sign of her. Loss attacked her chest, the candle had been blown out that rested in her rib cage.

She turned to her alarm.

It was morning.

7:30am

Alex brushed the hair from her face and slid off her bed. Her bare feet padded against the cool wood of her floor. She had no recollection of changing into her pyjamas, but it was a poor choice for mid winter. Bed shorts and a vest top wasn't clothing to fight the winter chill that affected her body so greatly.

She grabbed a hoodie and slipped on a pair of joggers along with a pair converse in preparation to wonder out onto the balcony.

Alex breathed in the icy air and watched her breath rise.

"I thought you were never going to wake up" Stevie's voice ran like liquor around Alex's body.

"So it was real" Alex peered up to see Stevie perched on the roof of the Russo abode.

"Al" Stevie was wrapped up in a blanket, clutching a cup of coffee. Alex loved it when Stevie had a bed head.

"Your looking stunning" Alex climbed up to sit by her partner. Stevie wrapped her under the blanket with her.

"You mean, I look alive"

"That too" Alex leant her head into Stevie's shoulder, humming contently at the vibe she received from their physical connection.

"Is it too early to mention the blood thing?" Alex whispered, watching Stevie drink her coffee from the corner of her eye.

"No, go ahead baby" Stevie kissed her forehead as Alex continued.

"What do we need to do, to achieve the blood bond?"

"We just have to cut each others palm... hold hands and through the transfusion of blood we're internally connected" Stevie was explaining it in the tone she would use if she was explaining a homework.

"You say it as if it's all casual" Alex's irritation shocked Stevie, but she wasn't surprised she felt Alex's emotion.

"Your scared"

"Yeah" Alex huffed hugging her knees to her chest.

"Me too" Stevie soothed and handed Alex the mug of coffee. "Drink it, I don't want you to be cranky all day, it's Christmas I won't let you be all 'I'm too cool for this shit'"

"Me... never" Alex scoffed.

"Shut up and drink Al" Stevie looked ahead and sighed contently. "If I said I loved you, would you call me soppy?" Stevie closed her eyes, feeling the natural progression of conversation wash over her.

"Like a wet fish" Alex kissed Stevie's neck. "I love you" Alex spoke against Stevie's skin, she gloried in the fact it wasn't cold, it had blood pumping through her veins, the air was electric.

"You must be a wet fish then" Stevie lolled her head back to expose more of her skin to Alex's wondering lips.

"Your turn to shut up" Alex nibbled at Stevie's pulse point, making her groan into the rising ever rising sun.

The coffee had been drank and the two girls soon decided to go inside, so they didn't freeze as a new blanket of snow fell to the earth.

Stevie lay on her front watching Alex dress, taking in her girlfriends shapely figure.

"When do you think Justin will be up?" Stevie's eyes couldn't adjust to the delectable view of Alex's breasts as she put a bra on.

"Around nine" Alex answered, grinning at the fact she felt Stevie's eyes on her. "Like what you see?"

"Love it" Stevie purred.

Alex pawed through her draws and stopped, Harper's sweater competition.

"I need to go and see Harper for something" Alex didn't care that she was clad in a pair of skinny black jeans or a lacy red bra, she exited her room and crossed the hallway.

"Harper" Alex knocked softly on the door, after a few moments, the door cracked open. Harper still looked sleepy.

"I need that hideous sweater" Alex gave her a small smile and Harper grinned.

"Come in" Harper stood aside to let Alex in.

Alex noticed Zeke still snuggled up in bed, when he didn't tall her actually looked cute.

"Oh" Harper blushed when she caught Alex looking at Zeke. "We didn't..."

"Tell him he's lucky" Alex ran a hand through her hair and Harper's eyes widened.

"You woke up in a good mood" Harper grabbed the sweater and handed it to Alex.

"Happy Christmas Harper" Alex hugged her best friend tightly.

"Thanks Alex"

"I think Zeke is cold" Alex winked and exited, Harper then glanced at what Alex had commented on and blushed a deep red.

Alex walked back in to her room, Stevie had taken the opportunity to dress. Clad in a dark grey slouch sweater that fell off her right shoulder, accompanied with a pair of red skinny jeans to be festive.

"No fair, you get to see me dress and you just dress while I'm gone" Alex smirked. Stevie stuck out her tongue.

"Turn around" Alex commanded, Stevie gave her a puzzled glance. "You have to close your eyes, I want this to be a surprise" Alex watched as Stevie covered her eyes with her hands and turned her back. Alex pulled the sweater over her head and grimaced at it but giggled. It was green with a red reindeer patterned across the wool.

Alex hugged Stevie from behind, kissing the back of her neck tenderly.

"Open your eyes and behold" Stevie turned in her arms then took a step back to examine her.

"Well" Stevie bit her bottom lip to refrain from laughing.

"It's a competition Harper has going on, who wears the most hideous sweater wins"

"Aw, I thought it'd be who looks cutest in a ugly sweater, I think you'd win hands down" Stevie kissed Alex, slipping her tongue across Alex's bottom lip.

"Charmer" Alex broke the kiss and ruffled Stevie's hair and ran a strand through her fingers. "I'm still not used to it being this long, but don't cut it until I say"

"Your wish... my command" Stevie grinned when she heard Justin jog down stairs.

"Should we join them?" Stevie looked at the door then back to Alex.

"I still need to give you your present" Alex winked and pushed Stevie back on the bed.


	8. Chapter 8

Alex perked her head up once she heard Terresa's voice pool under the crack of her door.

Stevie took a strand of Alex's hair and wrapped it around her little finger, still looking at the Russo through smoky eyes.

"I guess it's our time to shine" Alex murmured, rolling off Stevie and pulled her jumper back over her head. Stevie complied and got off the bed to join Alex by her side.

"Do you think they'll freak?" Alex held Stevie's hand tightly while she spoke.

"At me being alive? Or you having a big o'l gay crush on me?" Stevie winked and Alex nudged her.

"Both"

"Yeah..." Stevie looked forward and bit at her bottom lip.

"Are we going to move or are you just gonna stand there?" Alex mocked then tugged Stevie from the room and to the festivities down stairs.

Justin was the first to notice Alex tugging another person down the spiral stair case.

The foot steps pattered, making the sound alert Harper and Zeke also.

Stevie emerged in front of everyone eyes. Harper dropped the gingerbread man she'd considered eating and Justin broke out into unrecognisable stutters.

Alex and Stevie stood at the bottom of the stairs, still with their fingers intertwined.

Harper just frowned at the floor, like it would help her solve the predicament of Stevie's resurrection.

"Stevie?" Harper was the first to speak.

Justin stopped his rambling and Zeke was bewildered.

"Harper, I thought you said Stevie died" he hissed looking desperately at his girlfriend.

"She … did" Harper did a double take.

Justin then caught a glimpse of the faint fleshy writing on Alex's arm. He narrowed his eyes in attempt to read it.  
>Stevie whispered into Alex's ear, feeling if they moved more than an inch they'd be attacked.<p>

"Cover up story?"

Alex nodded and Stevie gave the three a charming grin.

"My brother did me a favour" Stevie announced and Alex squoze her hand.

Zeke continued to stare.

Harper noted this and tugged on his arm, giving Alex a warning look as they walked out onto the balcony. Justin faced the pair and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"How did you do it Alex?" Justin's voice betrayed his knowledge of the situation.

"I'm guessing you already know" Stevie rocket back on her heals, rubbing the back of Alex's hand with her thumb.

"Kinda" Justin hissed and looked down at their hands.

"You two are together then, like a couple"

"Yes" Alex narrowed her eyes at Justin to be cut short by Terresa shouting from upstairs. Max's voice sounded then a crash followed, Alex knew that had bought them time.

"Are you two bound?" Justin looked around him, like he was about to be attacked. Stevie nodded.  
>"Not fully" Alex looked at Stevie briefly.<p>

"Yeah, not fully" Stevie rubbed at the writing on her arm absently.

"You'll have to tell Mom" Justin rubbed the back of his neck, the internal battle between rules and family collided in fireworks.

"I know" bit on the inside of her cheek.

Justin shifted from one foot to the other.

"Tell her today or I'll alert..."

"Don't you dare" Stevie cut in, standing in front of Alex protectively.

"You wouldn't" Alex let go of Stevie's hand and glared at her brother.

"Fine, but tell her" Justin backed off but gave them a lasting look to seal the deal.

Terresa was shortly trotting down the spiral staircase, carrying a large red sack, a smile beaming across her face, unbeknown to the woman what lay in store.


	9. Chapter 9

**I must have forgoton I didn't post this, well it's posted now and there is another chapter soon to follow, sorry for the LONG wait.**

* * *

><p>"Well I've got some presents that have all your names on them!" Terresa beamed, clad in a bright green sweater and her hair was tied back into a bun with a Christmas tree poking out of the bunch of hair. Her peppy attitude was cut short as her eyes washed over Stevie.<p>

"Stevie?" Terresa's voice rose an octave in surprise. Alex felt a surge of electric panic hit her, she held Stevie's hand tighter in reaction.

"Hello Mrs Russo" Stevie smiled timidly at Alex's mother and felt Alex's grip tighten.

"I..." Terresa stood awkwardly and pointed at Stevie. "You..." she place her hand on her forehead and muttered a string of words in Spanish.

"María y todos los santos, ¿qué diablos maldita"

Alex looked at the ground then at Stevie who'd gone pale.

"Stevie, it's okay" Alex whispered, trying to sooth the girls raging nerves. A sickness attacked Stevie's stomach, Terresa could dictate their relationship easily, she was the Mother, she could ruin everything in a string of words.

"Alex, Stevie" Terresa paced her words, still taken aghast by the arrival of someone who was supposed to be _dead_.

Justin stood awkwardly, rubbing his left bicep and switched from foot to foot. He watched his Mother's changing expression, readying himself just in case Terresa lost it.

Stevie winced and Alex damned herself.

Terresa dropped the present sack and made a hum of thought.

"Let me just go and..." Terresa bolted back upstairs and Stevie bailed from the room, opening the front door and jogged down the hallway.

"_Stevie!_" Alex shouted after her and Justin stood helplessly. Alex ran after Stevie and slammed the door behind her, the wood wobbled with the force that Alex applied.

Catching up with her, Alex grabbed her arm and pulled Stevie to her.

"Stevie" Alex felt a twinge of hideous guilt as she saw tears spilling down the girls cheeks. Stevie felt her heart beat increase and a lump grow in her throat. "I'm sorry" Alex whispered and pulled Stevie too her in a needed embrace. Stevie rubbed away the tear tracks fiercely and leaned her head upwards, willing the tears to disappear back into her eyes. Sniffing she pulled away from Alex and leant against the wall.

"Did you _see_ your Mom's face" Stevie never knew she could be this affected by a person's reaction to her.

"She was just caught off guard" Alex cupped Stevie's cheek and winced.

"Al, I thought I'd be ready... I thought I could face your family head on... your Mom and Dad are..." Stevie sank down into a ball and hugged herself.

Alex crouched to her level and pressed their foreheads together. It tore apart the fabric of her heart into bleeding fragments to see Stevie crying, the broken side of Stevie was rarely ever displayed.

"Stevie" Alex now cupped both sides of her face, soothing the reddened skin with her thumbs. "They can't do anything"

"They can... their _your _parents, your Mom's face just fucking destroyed me" Stevie's words were wrenched from her chest, the confession grazed her throat.

"We'll tell her and she _has_ to understand" Alex whispered, she too was scared but feared for Stevie more than anything, she never wanted to hurt the girl, she had vowed to protect her, right now she was struggling to protect herself.

"I'm sorry, I'm being stupid" Stevie shook her head and sniffed, looking down into her lap.

"You're not being stupid Stevie, I know it's a hell of a lot to take in, trust me" Alex pinched her chin to make Stevie's eyes meet with hers. "I'm struggling to keep it together" Alex let out a broken chuckle and Stevie felt her eyes sting.

"Let's just get it over with" Stevie felt a wave of anger attack her system, she was angry that she'd broken down so easily and in front of Alex. She was supposed to be the strong one, she couldn't let Alex keep seeing her like this.

"Stevie, we're staying here until _you_ feel okay to go back in" Alex moved to sit beside Stevie.

"I'm just being..."

"You're venting... seriously if you don't stay here with me, I'm going to disown you. I want you to feel better"

Stevie pressed the back of her head on the wall, upon feeling the chill it produced she inhaled a deep breath. Alex intertwined their hands and kissed Stevie's cheek, letting her lips linger their after the contact, humming into the soft skin.

Stevie closed her eyes and let Alex work her natural magic upon her.

Alex nuzzled her nose into the crook of Stevie's neck.

"Baby, take all the time you need" Alex spoke, the heat of her words made Stevie's skin flush.

"If you had a bottle of vodka I think I could face them" Stevie hummed her words as Alex continued her affectionate gesture, the contact sent electric pulses down to her heart and travelled in her veins to charge her body.

"I could make you drunk in a very different way" Alex cooed and Stevie smirked.

"Please do, but for know, I just wanna sit"

"Whatever you need" Alex whispered and stopped nuzzling her to sit beside her girlfriend and let a few words mutter from her lips to create a distraction.

"I like the look of this" Alex held up her arm to gaze at the fleshy writing.

"I wonder how we're gonna cover it up?" Stevie glanced down at the typography with soft eyes.

"Well I'm not wearing long sleeved tops for the rest of my life"

"Me either... do you think make-up could work?"

"Probably, what if it rains or we're swimming?" Alex smiled and Stevie chuckled.

"Then we'll just have to press our arms to our sides for the duration of the time we're outside"

"Oh _sure _that'll look normal"

"Is anything actually normal with you though?"

"No, so I guess it'd work" Alex had a goofy grin upon her lips and Stevie kissed Alex's jaw line.

The sound of the front door cracking open drew the girls apart. Jerry looked out at his eyes fixed on the pair.

"We need to talk" his voice was blunt, but held no threat or anger.

Alex nodded softly at him and rose to her feet, letting Stevie follow her lead.

Soon they found themselves in the shroud of the lair.

Terresa and Jerry sat across from Alex and Stevie, who in turn sat glued to each other's sides.

"I want to know how it's possible" Jerry started, his Christmas sweater applied no jolly mood to the room. Alex shifted and Stevie felt her heart beat rage in the confines of her ribcage.

"What magic did you use?" Jerry continued and sat with his hands cupped with each other.

"Are you mad with us?" Alex's voice came out small and childish. The question made her cringe.

"What I meant to say was..." Alex started and Stevie spoke up, she'd hate Alex to have to explain herself like this.

"I don't really think we can explain it in a rational and practical sense" Stevie knew she sounded way beyond her years in that brief second.

The conversation was tedious.

"You're wizards it doesn't have to be..."

"Stevie means it" Alex blurted over Jerry. "If I told you... you'd think I was crazy"

"Enlighten me" Jerry breathed and Alex glanced at Stevie quickly. Their exchange of looks transferred a sense of dignity into the confession.

"Stevie came back as an apparition last night" Alex stared and took a shaky breath then let the past events unfold from her trembling lips.

After twenty minuets of explaining the events, dissecting the tale to make it clear under the mud of irrationality, Jerry stood up and paced, even though the girls had left out the details of the resurrection, Jerry still knew what had gone on by the simple mention of it.

Terresa was still coping with the fact that Alex was looking so affectionately at Stevie.

"I hope you two know what it all means to be bonded" Jerry had his back turned to them. Terresa snapped her head around to face Jerry.

"Bonded?"

"The resurrection spell is extremely rare, it's only offered if a wizard is in love with another wizard and their fate to be together is cut short, that's only the brief summary, it's way more complicated than that but I don't wanna go into detail"

Terresa gawked.

"Tell me more Jerry, now" Terresa felt compelled to know what her child and her evident partner had gone through.

"Mom" Alex stared, grabbing the woman's attention. "I chose resurrection becouse it was the only way I could truly avoid the future"

"It's an act of selflessness" Jerry added and Alex nodded.

"What happened to bring back Stevie? What did you have to do?" Terresa's rush of words broke the silence that swamped them every few seconds. Jerry knew it was better to answer this.

"Alex would have been killed to get there, but Alex would have gone to limbo, Stevie was killed before her time, so she would have been sent to limbo until her time officially came to die or someone resurrected her. Alex was sent there and she would have had to give part of her... soul to Stevie to let them both live"

Terresa went pale.

"My baby has half a soul?"

"The pair of them _share_ a soul" Jerry corrected and Stevie shifted in discomfort.

"And that makes it better?" Teresa threw her hands over her head and Jerry held a hand out to calm her.

"Terresa please, listen. Alex and Stevie know are bonded, meaning they can never be separated, this also means..."  
>"We can never have feelings for another person or we'll die... we feel everything together, if Alex was hurt, I'd feel the pain... we have to protect each other" Stevie explained her voice soft.<p>

"But as well as bonding in spirit, they have to bond in blood here" Jerry looked at the pair expectantly.

"Have you done it yet?" the question made the pair recoil.

"No" Alex responded.

"When you guys do, you'll gain a circle scar on either one of your palms"

"This thing leaves a lot of scars" Stevie muttered and felt suddenly acutely aware of the writing on her arm.

"You guys have to do the blood bonding soon, I'd say in the next day or you'll fade"

"Fade?" both girls questioned.

"Die" Jerry winced at the word and Terresa yelped.

"Die!" Terresa felt faint, her skin prickled.

"We were planning on doing it tonight" Stevie confirmed to ease Terresa, her eyes darkened in loyalty to Alex.

"Well we've got that settled" Jerry stopped pacing and faced the girls. "We should just let today be Christmas" he smiled faintly and Terresa wobbled to her feet.

"I think I need a brandy" she walked from the room unsteadily and Jerry watched her go then sat back down.

"It was brave of you to do that Alex" Jerry looked at them both. "I would say I'm proud of you, but I also think it was rash and irresponsible to do such a thing without extensive knowledge of the subject, it was ancient magic you carried out" Jerry stood up and leant to kiss both of them on the forehead.

"Welcome to the family Stevie" he smiled softly at the teen then left the room.

"I think you should go and open your presents, oh and watch your Mom's drinking" Stevie laughed shakily and Alex leant in.

Parting her lips ever so slightly against Stevie's they locked softly together. Tilting her head gently to the right, Alex deepened the intimate contact by trailing the tip of her tongue over Stevie's bottom lip.

Stevie wrapped her hands around Alex's hips and Alex in turn ran her hands into Stevie's hair.

Brushing their tongues together first then Alex retracted her tongue to bite Stevie's bottom lip and tug at it before pulling away.

"I love you Stevie" Alex breathed and nuzzled their noses together. Stevie smiled and pecked her lips before responding.

"I love you too Al" a warm fuzz cased her heart beat. Stevie pushed Alex onto her lap and played with the hem of the sweater.

"I didn't have time to get you anything" Stevie pouted and nuzzled the girls neck.  
>"Just promise me this" Alex hummed.<p>

"Anything"

"Don't leave" Alex sat up straight upon Stevie's lap so Stevie's line of sigh fell upon her chest. Stevie looked up to her.

"I wasn't planning on going anywhere Russo"


	10. NOTE

After forgeting my Livejournal account, I soon turned to tumblr

If you want more stuff about my FanFiction, plots and up coming fics, please, visit my profile and click on the Tumblr url (the writing one)

Thanks and I hope to hear from you guys.


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